Mayor urges creek folks to be vigilant

MANDAUE City Mayor Jonas Cortes yesterday called on residents living along the Mahiga Creek in sitio Orel, barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, to be more vigilant to prevent another accident especially during heavy rains.

Cortes said it would be useless for the city’s disaster preparations if the residents wouldn’t help.

When asked if the city government would put safety measures in the area where 7-year-old Kort Cabucos fell and drowned in the creek last Monday, Cortes said the residents living along the creek were beneficiaries of the 6.5-hectare relocation site in barangay Paknaan.

Cortes said they were one of the priorities for relocation to the Paknaan lot starting on June.

Meanwhile, Alberto Cabucos, 62, Kort’s grandfather, said he was dismayed after his neighbors didn’t help Kort when he fell in the creek.
He said he was informed that Kort fell on the creek and hurriedly went to the area.

He said he saw his neighbors just watching Kort’s body, which was found 100 meters from where he fell.

“I was the one who went down the creek and retrieve my grandson’s body,” said Alberto in Cebuano.

Despite this, he said he was grateful since his other grandson, who was with Kort during the accident, was safe.

Mayor Cortes said yesterday that the city government would help Kort’s family. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos